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31/12/2021

Living for Life

Deep down, I often feel that this year 2021 moves very fast. There have been so many unexpected things happening in this year. 

Those unexpected things really influenced the way I look at situations and people. Some people don't realize that they show their true colours when they behave in a certain way, or when they talk about some trivial stuff.

When a certain situation forces people to do what they hate doing, maturity has begun its process to them. Like it or not, they have to face and do the process. And when out loud shouts and curses come out of their mouth, that is very humane.

Anyway, as human beings, we have a responsibility to live this life. I suppose there is not an obligation to live this life like angels. Angels don't have bodies; in other words, they don't live physically. And that means angels won't be able to make mistakes because there's no brain and body that can "facilitate" them to make mistakes.

We, humans, on the other hand, have a brain and a body that can "help" us to do stupid things, to think rationally when making decision with the consequences of hurting others' feeling, and to create chaos.

Whatever weaknesses that we have, we must live this life to the fullest. Let's never stop being humble and kind, let's ignore those who are toxic, let's learn from our mistakes when we make them.

2021 will end very soon. 2022 will feel very fast, pandemics or not, if we live our life to the fullest, facing whatever comes to us with our brave heart.

10/09/2021

Why Should I Write?

I have some necessary reasons why I use this blog platform to write. At first when I decided to write on this platform, I felt that I needed some extra care for my busy mind. So I used this to express my emotion. 

After an article of a random topic based on my feeling was finished, I felt quite relieved. But at that time, I was not so sure whether my feeling relieved was because of my ability to finish making an article or the success of transferring my difficult emotion.

Simply put, let me be honest about why I should write. First, I want to train my focus on doing just one thing. It sounds cliche, but it is rather difficult to do.

Second, I feel the need to maintain my mental health. And this really does wonder. I always feel cleansed after I finish making one article.

My other reason is about being productive. I love my mind, and I want me myself to recognize how I think. And the most important thing is that I never force my mind to be productive. 

Then, if I have the urge to write, I directly go here. 

20/07/2021

Eid Al Adha Sacrifice: What I Learn

I am not exaggerating myself if I say I don't enjoy every Eid Al Adha celebration. Yes, I enjoy the takbir. Yes, I also enjoy the day off from work because of the holy day. But I can't stand imagining how those sacrificed animals (cows and goats) feel the pain when they know they're going to die.

Well, according to what I have read about the mechanism of slaughtering those animals, they won't feel any pain. But still, it always breaks my heart when I look at their faces one day before the slaughter day.

I am not the right person to ask about the details of Eid Al Adha stuff. So, I won't detail that. What I want to focus on is my personal perspective about what I learn from the sacrifice.

First, I learn about how to let go things we really love. This letting go is not because we lost them or somebody else took them. This letting go is us willingly giving the things to somebody else; in this case to the sacrifice charity. The after effect of us doing that will be so significantly empowering. It empowers us to be easily strong when the other things we love have to be gone.

Secondly, it is all about compassion. For me, compassion to animals is the truest one. When we show compassion to other human beings, that is not extraordinary. But when our compassion is given to animals, I think not many people can do it. They either hate touching them or have some phobias. 

Showing compassion to farm animals (cows, goats, etc.) is by treating them like we treat our dear pets. The difference is the purpose. We take care of our pets so that we can grow old with their company. We take care of our farm animals so that our needs of meat consumption is fulfilled. This sounds very selfish and cruel, but that is what farm animals are for.

To be honest, I am not a fan of meat. But as an omnivore, I need to consume meat. Occasional consumption for me is a wise choice. And because of human need for meat, too, my husband often says that raising cows is a promising business. But not for me. My disagreement is because of  my uncontrollably too-much compassion for animals. Like what is happening at this moment while I am typing this: shedding tears thinking about the animal slaughtering.

Eid Mubarak for everybody, may our sacrifice deepen our compassion for all creatures.

27/06/2021

An Unforgettable View

When you look through the window
Can you sense an inner joy?
Imagining about your morrow
That noone will ever destroy

When you slightly open that window
Can you feel the breeze
Carressing your face very slow
Letting you feel at ease

When you look at the view
Will the memory last forever?
Every thought of you
Every little thing you discover

Never forget everything we have been through
Stay with me in my memory
My feelings for you are everlastingly true
My heart is trusting you without any worry

Someday another you will come here
To create a story to remember
To not forget everything to wonder
With a heart and a soul so sincere.

(The picture was taken from the second floor of Wearnes Education Center Madiun.)

24/06/2021

Ternyata Banyak Perbedaan

Selama ini saya berpikir bahwa semua orang pasti akan bisa lebih mudah bersin ketika menatap cahaya lampu yang terang atau matahari. Ternyata setelah saya sempat berbincang dengan seorang teman tentang bersin, teman saya itu bilang bahwa cahaya tidak memberi efek bersin buat dia. Yang membuat dia mudah bersin adalah bulu kucing, padahal dia pencinta kucing. Bisa saya bayangkan bagaimana nasib dia di rumah dengan kucing-kucingnya.

Buat saya, jika ada dorongan dari tubuh untuk menyuruh saya bersin, saya pasti akan sigap mencari sinar matahari biar bersin saya memuaskan. Beberapa kali saya mengalami masalah ketidaklancaran bersin hanya karena saya tidak melihat adanya kesempatan mencari cahaya matahari. Cahaya lampu di ruangan kadang masih terlalu lembut buat bersin saya. Apalagi jenis lampu LED. Tidak ada efeknya buat saya supaya bisa bersin. Sakit hati tidak karuan apabila bersin gagal dilakukan.

Pada kenyataannya, apa yang terjadi dengan tubuh saya yang berkaitan dengan bersin itu adalah sebuah kelainan yang tidak membahayakan. Setelah saya membaca beberapa artikel tentang itu, saya menjadi lega. Lega karena mempunyai kelainan yang unik. Lega juga karena masih ada banyak orang lain yang mempunyai kelainan itu. 

Perbedaan yang lain adalah tentang kebiasaan mandi. Ternyata, ada yang mandi dengan sambil berdiri, ada juga yang mandi dengan sambil duduk. Saya pikir semua akan mandi dengan cara berdiri. Kalau perkara mandi, jelas itu bukan kelainan; itu hanya masalah kebiasaan dan bentuk kamar mandinya.

Satu lagi cerita tentang perbedaan yang saya temukan. Saat itu saya sedang berdialog dengan seorang perawat di sesi vaksin. Perawat itu bertanya tentang riwayat alergi saya. Saya jawab saja bahwa saya tidak tahu karena memang saya tidak terlalu memahami jika tubuh saya itu menolak atau menerima obat yang masuk ke tubuh saya. Yang jelas, saya selalu berusaha untuk tidak mengonsumsi obat dari apotik atau dari dokter, walaupun itu hanya paracetamol misalnya. Mungkin si mbak perawat itu mempunyai riwayat alergi dengan obat tertentu. Siapa tahu? 

Lalu dia menanyakan keluhan lain kepada saya. Saya memang punya kendala asam lambung yang gampang naik sampai ke kerongkongan. Saya bilang ke perawat itu kalau saat asam lambung saya naik dan saya pas sedang merasa lelah, saya pasti mendapat serangan sesak nafas. Namun si mbak perawat itu langsung membantah saya. Dia bilang bahwa serangan asam lambung tidak ada hubungannya dengan sesak napas. Dia malah bercerita jika dia tidak mengalami sesak nafas jika dia sedang kelelahan. Dia memaksa saya agar segera periksa ke dokter. 

Saya langsung dengan santai menimpali perawat itu. Saya bilang,"Lho Mbak, tubuh kita kan beda. Mestinya reaksinya juga bisa beda. Saya tahu cara saya sendiri untuk menyembuhkan sesak napas itu. Saya hanya perlu istirahat sejenak. Saya tidak perlu ke dokter".

Perawat itu tetap bersikukuh bahwa saya perlu untuk segera ke dokter dan melakukan medical check-up agar saya bisa mengetahui penyakit apa yang sedang saya derita. Saya sadar bahwa banyak sekali perbedaan antara saya dengan si mbak perawat itu. 

Dia menomorwahidkan dokter; saya anti dokter. Dia menganggap semua penyakit lambung akan memberi efek rasa sakit ke perut; saya sendiri yang sudah memahami tubuh saya sendiri sadar bahwa serangan asam lambung bisa berefek ke sariawan, batuk, sakit tenggorokan, dada terasa terbakar, sesak napas, dan minimal sakit perut lah. Dia harus tahu tentang kondisi kesehatan tubuhnya dengan cara berkonsultasi ke dokter; saya tidak butuh ke dokter untuk mengetahui apa yang terjadi dengan tubuh saya.

Mungkin akan banyak orang menganggap bahwa saya terlalu konyol. Wajar saja jika orang berpendapat tentang cara hidup orang lain. Akan tetapi, paling tidak orang lain akan berusaha memahami mengapa terjadi perbedaan-perbedaan itu. Hendaknya mereka tidak menghakimi bahwa apa yang dilakukan orang lain itu salah atau tidak normal. Adanya perbedaan-perbedaan itu semestinya bisa membuat kita semakin mau untuk belajar dan mengamati sekitar dengan tujuan untuk tidak menghakimi; tapi untuk semakin memahami.

12/06/2021

Gawat! Tertawa akan Dilarang di Manapun!!

Ada beberapa tempat yang memang diperuntukkan bagi banyak orang yang menerapkan larangan tertawa karena memang tempat itu butuh kesunyian. Misalnya masjid pada saat ibadah berjamaah sedang dilaksanakan, rumah orang yang salah satu keluarganya meninggal dunia, perpustakaan yang semua pengunjungnya pasti membaca dan butuh ketenangan, dan tempat-tempat lainnya. Namun, pandemi atau tidak, saya mempunyai kecurigaan bahwa suatu saat nanti tertawa terbahak-bahak di tempat umum manapun akan dilarang.

Larangan itu bisa jadi karena didasarkan atas hasil sebuah riset tentang resiko penularan penyakit melalui mulut yang terbuka dari orang yang tertawa lepas. Atau bisa jadi karena didasarkan atas hasil pengamatan tentang tingkat kegagalan meditasi akibat pengaruh suara tawa. Atau mungkin juga dikarenakan resiko kemunculan rasa marah dari orang yang merasa jadi bahan tertawaan. 

Buat saya, tertawa menularkan kebahagiaan. Virus yang awalnya akan tertularkan karena tawa mestinya tidak jadi menyerang karena orang yang tertawa bersama dengan orang yang menyebabkan tawa sedang merasa bahagia. Seharusnya pemicu penyakit itu tahu diri dan tidak akan bisa merusak kebahagiaan orang-orang yang sedang tertawa lepas itu. 

Namun, terkadang suasana bahagia akan jadi rusak jika ada satu orang saja yang bersikap mengendalikan dan menginginkan agar tertawa dihentikan. Perusak suasananya bukan dari virus yang ditularkan lewat tertawa, tapi dari orang itu. Mungkin saja sang pengendali itu akan melakukan sesuatu yang personal dan akan dilakukan di tempat umum. Semestinya, apapun yang akan dilakukan di tempat umum yang membutuhkan konsentrasi tingkat tinggi itu bisa dilakukan oleh orang yang tidak mementingkan kepentingan pribadi. 

Dengan kata lain, orang itu tidak perlu menunjuk dirinya sendiri untuk menjadi pengendali kebahagiaan orang lain. Orang itu seharusnya bisa mengambil sikap dengan cara elegan. Mungkin dia bisa melakukan hal itu di tempat lain karena dia bisa jadi punya masalah dalam memusatkan perhatiannya. Dia termasuk orang yang mudah terpecahkan konsentrasinya dengan hal-hal sepele yang lain.

Kemungkinan yang lain, dia bisa saja menunda melakukan satu hal itu sebentar saja. Tidak ada salahnya dia ikut hanyut sekejap dengan kegembiraan tawa itu agar otaknya bisa sedikit lega dari kepenatan pikiran. Dengan begitu, kemampuan berkonsentrasinya nanti bisa ada peningkatan.

Saya merasakan semakin banyak orang seperti itu bermunculan. Entah apa yang menyebabkan itu. Yang jelas, suatu saat nanti, tertawa sebagai aktivitas refleks yang rileks dari tubuh akan dilarang! Senasib seperti ketika kita menguap di dalam kelas karena gurunya membosankan, atau seperti ketika membuang gas saat perut kita mengandung banyak gas akibat mengonsumsi makanan atau minuman tertentu.

Oleh karena itu, kita manfaatkan sebaik-baiknya dengan tertawa sehat di depan umum sebelum dilarang. Kita latih diri kita untuk tetap bisa tertawa walaupun tidak ada orang lain yang bersama kita. Kita bisa tertawa terbahak-bahak melihat tingkah laku hewan peliharaan kita, kita bisa mentertawakan diri sendiri ketika imajinasi kita menjadi aneh saat melihat gumpalan awan di langit, dan kita bisa tertawa sendiri saat mengenang memori lucu di kehidupan kita. Jangan biarkan kemampuan tertawa kita lenyap hanya gara-gara penguasa.

09/06/2021

If you were a bird

Imagine if you were a bird
Sitting on a tree branch
Showing off your feathers
Singing outloud
And thinking that all the other birds would adore you
Would you even have time to remind yourself about how small you were?

Imagine if you were a bird
Sitting on a tree branch
Looking all around you
You would not have a chance to sing
Because you let your eyes observe
No time to admire yourself
Because you let you ears listen
No time to be loud
What a wonderful way to enjoy the world

Imagine if you were a bird
Flying up high
And the other creatures under you were admiring you
But you didn't even care
You chose to focus on your purpose of flying
What a wonderful way to enjoy your life.

04/05/2021

My Three Favorite Scents

I feel I have a very strong sense of smell. This morning at home, I could directly smell a dead rat. Few nights before, when I was in front of my house, I suddenly smelled something like the smell of cow poop while, in fact, I don't have any neighbors who raise cows. My husband jokingly said that maybe there was a ghost passing by because he did not smell anything. A few days ago, while preparing some menus for suhoor, fishy smell of blood struck my nose while I was waking my husband up in our bedroom. Some other ghosts, maybe.☺I once also smelled some random dead animal in the office where I work. At that time, I was the only one who could smell that. When I asked some janitors to search for that smell, they finally found a dead lizard under a cardboard box. The staff sitting near that box amazingly did not smell that dead lizard.

Thanks to my ability to be very sensitive with disgusting odors because I can also feel grateful for my being able to detect nice scents. There are very many kinds of nice scents from flowers to freshly baked cookies. Who doesn't love those scents? Everyone loves them. But I have three favorite scents which I think some persons will love, too.

1. The earthy scent from the rain falling on dry soil

It's refreshingly surprising to know that I am not the only one who loves that scent. The first time I started to like this scent, when I was still young, I felt weird. I questioned myself, "Why do I like this strange smell?" It turns out that some people like to smell that, too. Therefore, when I miss that scent in dry season, I often water the dry soil in my yard just to get that scent.

2. The freshly cut grass

Either in rainy season or dry season, the scent of the grass right after being cut is always indescribably nice. I don't let my front yard be paved. I grow grass instead. It actually consumes much time and energy to cut those grasses with shears when they grow taller, but the nice scent is worth the price. 

3. The brewing coffee in the morning

My morning routine is to drink coffee. I like drinking coffee because I fall in love with the scent of the coffee when the hot water is poured into the cup or mug. And that must be in the morning. When I smell the brewing coffee in the evening, for example, it doesn't smell as special as the morning coffee. Perhaps because I really need to open my eyes to start the day. And the brewing coffee scent can always wake me up.


18/04/2021

Pesona Ponorogo

Kota Ponorogo, yang sangat terkenal budayanya, memang selalu menarik hati saya. Selalu ada yang membuat hati saya tergerak untuk lebih mencintai kota kelahiran saya itu. Setiap kali saya melintasi kota itu, selalu ada keinginan untuk berkunjung atau sekedar melewati daerah tempat tinggal saya ketika saya masih sangat kecil. 

Saya tidak akan menuliskan tentang kota Ponorogo secara detail, karena itu bisa dibaca di halaman Wikipedia, ataupun dari media sosial yang berkaitan dengan Ponorogo. Saya hanya akan menceritakan beberapa kenangan yang membuat saya merasa mempunyai hubungan emosional dengan kota ini.

Saat saya masih berumur sekitar 4 tahun, ingatan saya lekat pada saat saya diajak ayah saya mengunjungi telaga Ngebel (objek wisata kebanggaan kota Ponorogo). Dengan mengendarai motor tua, saya duduk di depan, sementara di tempat duduk belakang digunakan untuk membawa durian. Saat motor sudah mendekati telaga, saya ingat saya saat itu sampai ternganga ketika melihat telaga Ngebel. Begitu menakjubkan. Begitu berkabut. Begitu sunyi menenangkan. 

Kemudian saat saya menginjak pendidikan di sekolah menengah pertama, ada kenangan yang membuat saya terenyuh saat itu. Saya berada di bus rombongan study tour sekolah saya di Pacitan, kota kecil tetangga kota Ponorogo. Karena bus perlu beristirahat di area masjid kota dekat alun-alun Ponorogo, kami pun beristirahat sejenak. Beberapa teman saya ada yang bermain di area alun-alun. Saya hanya duduk di dalam bus sambil melihat polah tingkah teman-teman saya. Ketika bus mau berangkat lagi, tiba-tiba saya terisak diam-diam. Saat itu saya mungkin terlalu melankolis karena mau mengucapkan selamat tinggal pada kota kelahiran saya.

Menginjak dewasa, saat saya masih belum menikah, saya sering pulang kampung berkendara roda dua sendirian dari Madiun ke Pacitan. Ada satu kenangan misterius saat saya dalam perjalanan pulang ke Pacitan. Saat itu, saya berangkat dari Madiun tepat sehabis Shubuh, sehingga hawa pagi masih sangat dingin. Namun anehnya, ketika sudah melewati batas Madiun-Ponorogo (tepatnya di daerah Mlilir), hawa mendadak menjadi hangat, padahal saat itu belum melewati jam 5 pagi. Hawa hangat itu terus saya rasakan selama saya mengendarai motor saya hingga mencapai jembatan setelah Ponpes Gontor Putra. Setelah melewati jembatan itu, hawa dingin mulai menyerang lagi sampai saya tiba di Pacitan.

Dan di Ponorogo lah saya pernah mengalami kecelakaan terparah, yang terjadi pada sore hari di hari pertama Lebaran beberapa tahun yang lalu. Walaupun parah, saya dan suami saya masih beruntung karena banyak yang memberi pertolongan, dan masih tetap bisa melanjutkan perjalanan motor menuju Madiun. Sampai sekarang, setiap kali melewati jalanan lurus itu, tingkat konsentrasi selalu mendadak meningkat drastis.

Di balik keunikan Ponorogo yang memiliki budaya Reog yang penuh misteri dan yang merupakan kota kecil dengan pendidikan pesantren yang paling mumpuni, selalu ada kenangan yang tidak pernah saya hilangkan dari benak saya. Bertumbuh dari lahir sampai dengan saat saya berumur 6 tahun sudah cukup bagi saya yang sudah selama 42 tahun mengenyam hidup ini untuk selalu mengenang pesona kota ini.

                                                                      

14/04/2021

Two Lessons I Get from Wearing A Mask

Before the pandemic, I wore a mask when I rode my motorcycle, having a long trip, to protect me from dirty air and strong wind. And right now, because of the pandemic, I have to always wear it, especially when seen in public. Aside from the reason to follow the health protocol, I do that since I have to be obedient to the government. It's always a torture for me to wear a mask when I need to be clear about things I say. Or, it's also a torture to try to understand what other people say while they are wearing a mask.

It's been more than a year for us to not forget to wear a mask. Some people say they are comfortable wearing it; some others still struggle to get used to wearing a mask. For me, either it is a year or forever, this due-to-pandemic habit will always make me in despair. Breathing is one problem. Not revealing our true whole face is another problem.

However, thanks to the pandemic, I get some important things that I can learn from this mask wearing thing. The thing about keeping healthy is just nonsense for me. How can I keep my health if one important thing for my health, the oxygen, is blocked by a mask? Those important things I get is all about life learning.

Firstly, I need to realize that not being myself (or with the mask on) must require much energy. It is always tiring for me when I have to cover half of my face to meet other people and to talk with them. In life, when I am with people, I have to hide my true self. It's not about being untrue to myself; it's only for the sake of successful communication. Then, in the end, I feel fatigued. Perhaps, other type of people will, instead, feel energized after having spent so much time communicating with people. But not me. With my nose and mouth blocked by a mask while trying to succeed a communication, it is certainly energy-draining for me. 

Another thing I learn from wearing a mask is about getting the true freedom when I become myself; in other words, I feel totally free when without a mask. I can be so much free, being the real me, when there's no one around me. With the use of mask, I can be very thankful for the chance of experiencing how terribly hard it is to block a precious thing, the oxygen, coming into my body.

30/03/2021

Three Things to be Aware of When You Get Angry

It is not uncommon when you face a situation which can trigger your anger. That situation can be as silly as an unimportant misunderstanding or as serious as a betrayal. You have a right to be disappointed when somebody or something really disappoints you. You also have a right to feel unworthy when someone underestimates you. And when your anger arises because of that, it can be assumed as your mechanism to defend yourself.

Therefore, because of your being easy to feel various feelings, including those feelings that can trigger your anger, there are three things that you should be aware of when your sudden urge to get angry arises:

1. What is exactly your primary feeling?

You need to analyze what is actually happening to your emotion. You are not just suddenly becoming angry at once. There must be something that unconsciously is making you angry. Are you undervalued by one person? Or are you feeling deceived by one person?

2. Do you "explode" in the right manner?

Once you can identify what primarily is happening to you, you can express your anger to the right person wisely (or you can choose not to express that with the risk of unhealthy anger management plus it hurts, too). "Explosion" in the right manner is communicating your problem with the person with whom you have the problem. It also means that you don't have to stay away from the people who are close with that person. Just because you have a problem with person A, doesn't mean that you need to limit your interactions with those people who are close with person A.

3. Do you "finish" your anger?

It is good to acknowledge about you yourself the way you deal with your anger. Just ask yourself after some attempts in expressing your anger. Is your "mission" completed or aborted? Because when you let it be unfinished, there will be some remaining hidden "energy" that can brutally explode one day. 

(Those three are inspired by a true event.)

22/02/2021

Menjadi Manusia

Suatu pagi dengan kebiasaan saya menyeruput kopi sambil menikmati Spongebob Squarepants di TV, saya memindah channel TV ke acara berita pagi. Suguhannya ternyata membuat saya agak depresi sebagai seorang perempuan. Satu berita tentang penyanyi perempuan terkenal, selalu berbusana agamis dan selalu menyanyikan lagu-lagu religi. Ternyata dia menjadi penyebab rusaknya rumah tangga rekan satu grupnya yang seorang laki-laki beristri dan beranak dua. Satu berita yang lain tentang seorang polisi wanita yang menjabat sebagai kapolres tertangkap mengadakan pesta narkoba dengan beberapa polisi yang lain. 

Membuat kesalahan adalah hal yang lumrah dalam rangka menjadi manusia. Tidak ada orang suci yang bersih dari kesalahan. Yang ada hanya orang yang selalu ingin terlihat suci di hadapan orang lain ataupun orang yang ingin memperbaiki kesalahan yang dia buat sebelumnya. 

Namun yang terjadi pada dua perempuan itu bisa membuat kita berpikir dan belajar tentang kehidupan. Dua perempuan itu termasuk mereka-mereka yang tidak kuat menerima kenyataan bahwa mereka terlalu terkenal (si penyanyi) dan terlalu kuat (si kapolsek). Mungkin pada saat awal-awal mereka belum mendapatkan ketenaran dan kekuasaan itu, mereka adalah manusia yang sewajarnya membuat kesalahan-kesalahan kecil yang mudah dimaafkan oleh orang-orang di sekitarnya. 

Mungkin juga pada saat mereka merintis ketenarannya dan kekuasaannya, mereka sudah mempunyai tekad kuat untuk tidak lupa diri saat nanti mereka sudah mencapai ketenaran atau mendapatkan kekuasaannya (walaupun kenyataannya mereka tergoyahkan juga dengan godaan-godaan yang ada).

Mereka bisa tergoda karena mereka hanya manusia. Saat mereka terkena godaan, akan ada manusia-manusia yang lain yang merasa tersakiti. Saat mereka terkena godaan, akan ada penggemar-penggemar yang merasa kecewa, akan ada orang-orang yang awalnya sangat menghormati mereka menjadi orang-orang yang membenci mereka. 

Namun mereka yang tergoda itu tidak sempat memikirkan akibatnya karena mereka terbuai dengan kenikmatan godaannya. Mereka menikmati menjadi manusia yang sedang dikuasai oleh sisi gelapnya. 

Bukan berarti bahwa setiap manusia selalu tidak punya kendali setiap kali sisi gelap dia mulai menguasainya. 

Misalkan saja si penyanyi dan si kapolsek itu bisa mengendalikan sisi gelapnya agar tidak menguasai dia, sudah barang tentu banyak pihak yang "terselamatkan".

Siapa yang tidak ingin merasakan berbunga-bunga karena jatuh cinta? Tapi tidak harus dengan merebut suami orang juga sih. Siapa juga yang tidak ingin berakrab-akrab dengan rekan kerja atau bawahan? Tapi tidak harus dengan mengadakan pesta narkoba juga dong.

Saya hanya bisa berpendapat seperti di tulisan ini dari kejadian yang menimpa dua orang perempuan itu. Paling tidak, dari kesalahan yang mereka perbuat, perempuan-perempuan lain di luar sana akan lebih berhati-hati agar tidak terjerumus ke hal yang sama atau hal yang lebih parah.

Marilah kita belajar menjadi manusia yang bisa memahami bahwa ada kalanya kita mengalami kesulitan besar dalam mengendalikan sisi gelap dan liar kita. Mungkin minimal dengan pemahaman itu, kita akan bisa lebih waspada ketika godaan-godaan mulai berdatangan.



14/02/2021

To Love is to Risk Your Heart

Discussing love is always fascinating. I am not talking about romantic love specifically. I am talking about universal love. 

When you let yourself be in love, you actually risk your heart to be vulnerable. When in love, it will be so vulnerable that you cannot hold your tears of happiness or sadness.

How happy you are when your loved one gives you something precious, or cooks you dinner, or fixes your broken glass. How happy you are when your dear cat looks healthy and always plays with you and snuggles you. 

But then, how sad you are when your loved one betrays your trust. How sad you are when your lovely cat is found dead in front of your house the moment you go home from work. 

If you just want to get those happy moments when you are in love, that's selfish. If you are not ready to experience those sad moments, you're immature. If you don't let your heart be in love, you don't need to be a human.

So, when you love, you must be prepared for all the risks that may break your heart apart. But that is what makes you human. To have a broken heart is a part of being a human.

And please remember, Brian May told you to not let love kill you because you have it too much. Too much love will kill you.

However, you will kill your heart if you don't love. In other words, if you don't let yourself love somebody or something, your heart will be as dead as a stone. Yes of course you will never be broken hearted, but you will never feel the beautiful sensation of a blooming flower inside your heart when you are in love.

Just spread your love and let your heart take all the risks.



Feel It

There is a heart that feels

There is a mind that ponders

There are heart-warming moments

There are mind-boggling joys

When it comes, just feel it

When it fills your heart, just believe

That your mind can handle 

All the pleasures and pains

Feel it as a commitment

To risk your heart 

To risk your mind

With its beautiful danger

With its dangerous beauty




12/02/2021

My Simple Guide to Reach Inner Peace

Right now, when I am typing this, it is raining in the night and there is a power outtage. It might be depressing for some people to deal with this situation. Those, who are really in need of the electricity to handle their stuff; cooking, making reports, watching tv, will perhaps shout outloud, blaming the situation.

Because I don't have anything important or unimportant to do, this situation is perfect for me to just do nothing (except typing this article of course). While doing nothing, it feels so good to only listen to any kinds of sound during this dark night. The sound of the vehicles passing by can be heard. 

But that kind of sound is not my interest. It feels very much better if I just focus on the sound of the dripping water and the sound of the many frogs. Yes, that's my simple guide to be peaceful inside. I just use one of my senses, my hearing sense, to enjoy this. 

And it's very true that I can get that peace of mind. I don't have to be so anxious about not doing what should quickly be done. If you think that this guide is not as simple as it seems, it's just because you are not accustomed to choosing to hear what soothes your ears. It's just a matter of taste, then. If your ears' taste is to hear random, mundane sounds, then inner peace is unreachable.

31/01/2021

You Have Your Own Reasons

It's never failed to amaze me every time I know people whose interest is totally different from mine. The way they talk about their interest or do it often makes me excited or disgusted; depending on the kinds of interest. 

When talking about entertainment, Korean drama and Korean music lovers are always super enthusiastic. When talking about sport, football lovers talk about their favorite team as enthusiastically as Korean lovers do. 

Like it or not, sooner or later what our friends consume can also become our consumption. With their stories about their consumption of Korean dramas or football matches, we probably get intrigued to also check them out. 

If, later on, after some curiosities while checking out some of the stuff, we finally come to a point where we like or dislike that stuff. We like it because our friends like it and surprisingly that is actually our interest too. We just haven't realized it before. 

If, in fact, we dislike that stuff, it won't make us dislike our friends. It is as simple as that. Friends or married couple don't have to like similar things. Yes, it's true if they like the same things, the bond can become much stronger. But being different is what makes our communication get better. 

So, when you do a thing, whether you like it because it's your interest or you are forced to do it, you have the reason for that. And I also have my own reason to not do what most people do nowadays. I don't watch soap operas. I don't watch Korean dramas and listen to Korean songs, I don't use social media, I don't listen to mainstream music, my husband and I don't celebrate birthdays and our wedding anniversary is just another ordinary day.

If you think I am weird because I choose to do (and not do) those mentioned above, I will think the same way about you the way you do. I will think that you are weird. However, there doesn't have to be any worries because I don't need to think about how you and others think of me. It's none of my business, and my life is none of your business.

Let's just enjoy our own life.

01/01/2021

The Green Green Grass

Walking barefoot on the ground
Full of green green grass
My feet are drowned
Into the green green grass

What a morning to begin
With feeling of no fear
No germs will ever come in
Though covid is near

Breathing free
Smelling the grass and the dew drops
With no mask on
No one is around
Feeling the tickling grass
Walking and dancing 
Cause no one else is around
On the green green grass.